Ben Hartman grew up in London and moved to Amsterdam 14 years ago to continue his career as a creative director in advertising and now as an artist. He would like to have talked film with Rutger Hauer, is fascinated by how much the Dutch can carry on a bike and loves the easy way of living in the Netherlands. How did you end up here? It was 2010 and I was working as a freelance advertising copywriter in London.
Someone I knew was married to the executive director of an agency that was located in Amsterdam. She said some positive things about the work I was producing to her husband and asked if I would fancy a three month gig. That’s how it began and I’m still here.
How do you describe yourself – an expat, lovepat, immigrant, international? One of the reasons why I came over to Amsterdam is because I was single and I could. I’d been working in London for 12 or 13 years and this adventure came along. I think of myself as an expat but, for a while, I described myself as an extended holiday maker or a tourist.
That felt right for a long time, it felt like I was just on holiday. How long do you plan to stay? I have absolutely no idea. I didn’t have a plan when I initially came to the Netherlands and I didn’t plan on staying.
Forces often dictate these things, whether it’s for work or love, but I’m very happy here. The state of Britain at the moment doesn’t necessarily drive me to want to go back. The Netherlands offers a very easy and lovely way of life that I’.